Saturday, June 29, 2013
Elizabeth can fly!
Three days ago, Elizabeth and I, along with my dad, stepmom Mary, my brother Alex and my grandma, embarked on a flight to Minneapolis, Minnesota! We are here for the weekend, staying at the Mall of America, while my grandma has a college reunion and then Sunday we are driving a short distance to Amery, Wisconsin--more importantly Lake Wapogasset. We are visiting with my grandma's nieces and nephews (my dads cousins) and spending the week at their lake house for just some good family time. We haven't seen them in years!! Realizing that this is her 5th state she has traveled too (Wisconsin making 6!), Elizabeth is one traveled kid so far. Regretfully, Daddy was not with us to experience her first flight but mind you, she will never remember this one and that he wasn't here! We were missing him dearly though. It sure is hard to do these type of family things without him, well first because our family is missing a key component--him! and two, knowing there is bound to be some "firsts" that he will miss. I've noticed going anywhere with a baby brings traveling to a whole new level with all the stuff you have to bring (diapers, wipes, breast pump, bottles, toys, blankets, burp rags galore, clothes, binkys, crib sheets, not to mention car seat, the base and the stroller). But we made it, and I had lots of help! That being said, she did great! I nursed her during take off, she was up talking and smiling and looking around for about an hour, then she slept, and by the time she woke up we only had 15 minutes left! It was a 2.5 hour trip which wasn't bad at all. Hopefully, we have the same luck coming back! Here are some pics!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Mommy or Daddy's girl?
Everyone keeps saying "she looks like her dad" or "she looks like her mom." I think the consensus is that she looks more like daddy which I didn't realize how much she looked like him until we saw his baby pictures of when he was around 3 months. Then I found mine...see what you think!
Mommy
Daddy
Elizabeth
NJ bound!
Elizabeth, Oliver and I got to NJ Friday June 7. We drove up thru the tropical storm so it rained the whole time and added an extra hour to the trip. Baby and Dog slept the whole way though! I was greeted by John's Mom and Dad, sister Kait and her boyfriend John waiting for us in the driveway with an umbrella and camera. Excited would be an understatement. It feels so good to be here with them because it brings John a little closer to us all without him actually being here. And because this is his home and therefore has a piece of him in it, it will always feel like home to me, though it comes in third place to NC and MD (soon to change though.) And it definitely does feel weird without him here especially sleeping in his old room, in his old bed, amongst all his books and pictures and yankee memorabilia. Not to sound too morbid but it almost feels like he's passed away. But then he calls on facetime and the whole family gets to talk to him, which is great! It especially feels weird bringing our child into his childhood room. Like we're still kids and shouldn't be responsible for something like her yet.
Every day Elizabeth met someone new. Among them were John's Aunt Kim and Uncle Jeff, there son Peter and other cousins Jimmy and Alex. All of John's Mom's family (she is one of 9 so that's a lot!). John's best friend Andrew King, family friends Mr. and Mrs. Greig, and Judy Beidelman. Tuesday John's Grandmother threw a party for Elizabeth so all of her extended family and friends could meet her. Then the rest of the week we saw John's sister Kaitlin's college roommates, family friends Mr. and Mrs. Decker, Timmy Costantino, Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard, Maureen's friend Karen Toole and Jeanie Kassis. And then we saw John's friends Alex Tolotta and his fiance Angela, Matt Walsh and his girlfriend Bri, Matt Billera's girlfriend Heather and last but not least, the last night we saw his friends Joey Hassick and his girlfriend Gina and Adam and Brittany Socrates with their 1 year old daughter Mea.
John is still doing well. He got my package just in time for father's day, in which I sent him Elizabeth's handprints on a small piece of paper so he could "hold her hands" while he was over there. Father's Day was the first day I hadn't talked to him since he's been over there, which was hard and worrisome. But it was because they're communication was down all day for certain procedures to be carried out properly. I talked to him the next day and he and his unit are safe and that's all that matters!
Every day Elizabeth met someone new. Among them were John's Aunt Kim and Uncle Jeff, there son Peter and other cousins Jimmy and Alex. All of John's Mom's family (she is one of 9 so that's a lot!). John's best friend Andrew King, family friends Mr. and Mrs. Greig, and Judy Beidelman. Tuesday John's Grandmother threw a party for Elizabeth so all of her extended family and friends could meet her. Then the rest of the week we saw John's sister Kaitlin's college roommates, family friends Mr. and Mrs. Decker, Timmy Costantino, Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard, Maureen's friend Karen Toole and Jeanie Kassis. And then we saw John's friends Alex Tolotta and his fiance Angela, Matt Walsh and his girlfriend Bri, Matt Billera's girlfriend Heather and last but not least, the last night we saw his friends Joey Hassick and his girlfriend Gina and Adam and Brittany Socrates with their 1 year old daughter Mea.
All in all, it was a great trip. It was pretty packed with people to see but luckily it was enough time to see everyone with a little extra for some down time. It felt sort of like a mini-vacation because I didn't have to be tending to her 247 since we had so many visitors and the grandparents and aunts wanted their fill. Ellie did pretty well with the new place and all of the strangers holding her. She fell asleep and everything, no matter who was holding her. I hope she will stay that way and be an adaptable child (like her mama!!) She turned 3 months while we were there! Time is going by so quickly. She just started grasping for things which is exciting and she is so close to belly laughing, it's not funny (pun not intended?) I keep trying and all I get is a few giggles and that's it. I guess Mommy just isn't that funny.
John is still doing well. He got my package just in time for father's day, in which I sent him Elizabeth's handprints on a small piece of paper so he could "hold her hands" while he was over there. Father's Day was the first day I hadn't talked to him since he's been over there, which was hard and worrisome. But it was because they're communication was down all day for certain procedures to be carried out properly. I talked to him the next day and he and his unit are safe and that's all that matters!
Here are some pics from the week!
morning stretch! Ellie meeting Mea (and joey) Brittany and Adam!
The best part of waking up!
playing with john (kaits bf) 3 months!! asleep in daddy's room
Bella meeting Ellie water aerobics Ellie with Aunt T
Look, it's daddy! Having fun with Aunt Kait So happy too see Pa
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
1st update
Well it's been 3 weeks since daddy has left and I thought an update was overdue...
Update on John: John left for Afghanistan on a Wednesday evening and got there that Saturday around midnight which was a way shorter trip than he anticipated. He went right to his unit and the guys were so excited to see him. He woke them all up of course. We talk every day and do facetime mostly every day unless I'm out away from the computer. They are 8.5 hours ahead of us so by the time he gets off work and goes to the gym, showers, and gets back to his room it's about 11am -1pm our time so it's not bad at all. Elizabeth is usually napping though when we talk but he still gets to see her mostly every day. He lives in dorm like quarters, 4-5 sets of bunk beds to a room and fully equipped with a mini fridge. The bathrooms are in another building so he has to walk outside to use them. He says he's surprised at how comfortable it is there and understands why single military members don't mind going over there because it's so comfortable and more pay. He has wireless internet in his room however it's not that great so they allow you to pay a $30, $60, or $90 monthly fee for better wireless. The camp is just like any other base that has an exchange there where he can buy food, toiletry items, or any other misc items but he rarely has time to get out there so he has been requesting items he needs to be sent to him in packages. Plus, lets face it, everyone here is dying to mail him something! I just sent his first package 2 days ago. He said it takes like a week to get there so I expect he will have it hopefully before father's day (because it has things pertaining to his first father's day!) He has been requesting things like baby wipes, chef boyardee, easy mac, ramen noodles, his old spice deodorant, razors, his shampoo, qtips, olives, and homemade chocolate chip cookies (but don't send any of those things because I just sent him all of that ha). He has been working on little projects on base such as setting up concrete barriers along a road, moving dirt, and things like that. He's been operating more equipment than he thought--he thought they were just going to put him in the office. He says the days are long but the weeks go by fast. He works every day except Sundays he only works half days. He looks good, very tan, but is very upbeat and chipper for the most part, and very content with being there and having it meet his expectations (which weren't very high).
Update on us: So we are back in MD living with my mom and step dad. The whole downstairs basement (which is where I lived before I got hitched) is where our new home resides. It is equipped with one bedroom (my old living quarters), one full bath, a living room with a back entrance (convenient to let Oliver out) and a work out room. My old room has of course been turned into a guest room/nursery with a king size bed, a crib, a rocking chair and a changing table. Josh and I and especially my mom worked very hard on making it somewhat similar to Elizabeth's nursery back home but not too nursery like that it can't be used as a guest room when we leave. If you notice my mom bought the same bedding for her crib as we have in NC and the fabric that is hanging on the walls has the same floral print that is also in her room in NC. Here are some pictures of it.
So for the most part, Elizabeth has adjusted pretty well to our home in MD. We took the plunge and started her in her crib our first night there. All this time, she's been in an inclined rocker to help with reflux and gas (she still loves to nap in this). We thought since it's already a new environment, why not just make everything new. And surprisingly, she did great the first two nights, sleeping 6-8 hours a night. And then as the week went by, she was getting harder and harder to put down to sleep-she was getting very gassy. I have to be very careful of what I eat for dinner because that is what she gets in her night time feeding and what can dictate a good night or a bad night. Now she goes down a lot easier but she is still waking up to feed once maybe twice a night. She'll sleep for 5-6 hours just not right when I put her down. It's usually from 3-8am or 5-10am.
At this point, she has made her rounds to everyone in MD that has been dying to see her for the last 2.5 months. We had an appointment with the pediatrician in town just to meet her and check up on everything. She weighs 12 lbs (as of 6/3) and everything is great! She has started recognizing me as her mother and as a familiar face which has been really rewarding seeing her always greet me with a smile. I'm no longer just the person that feeds her milk every now and then. She coos and talks to us alot! Daddy has been able to witness that over facetime which has been good. She's also found her tongue and started reaching for things! Time is going by so fast! And just when everything has been unpacked and settled in MD, it's time to go to NJ and make our rounds up there!! Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are some pictures!
Update on John: John left for Afghanistan on a Wednesday evening and got there that Saturday around midnight which was a way shorter trip than he anticipated. He went right to his unit and the guys were so excited to see him. He woke them all up of course. We talk every day and do facetime mostly every day unless I'm out away from the computer. They are 8.5 hours ahead of us so by the time he gets off work and goes to the gym, showers, and gets back to his room it's about 11am -1pm our time so it's not bad at all. Elizabeth is usually napping though when we talk but he still gets to see her mostly every day. He lives in dorm like quarters, 4-5 sets of bunk beds to a room and fully equipped with a mini fridge. The bathrooms are in another building so he has to walk outside to use them. He says he's surprised at how comfortable it is there and understands why single military members don't mind going over there because it's so comfortable and more pay. He has wireless internet in his room however it's not that great so they allow you to pay a $30, $60, or $90 monthly fee for better wireless. The camp is just like any other base that has an exchange there where he can buy food, toiletry items, or any other misc items but he rarely has time to get out there so he has been requesting items he needs to be sent to him in packages. Plus, lets face it, everyone here is dying to mail him something! I just sent his first package 2 days ago. He said it takes like a week to get there so I expect he will have it hopefully before father's day (because it has things pertaining to his first father's day!) He has been requesting things like baby wipes, chef boyardee, easy mac, ramen noodles, his old spice deodorant, razors, his shampoo, qtips, olives, and homemade chocolate chip cookies (but don't send any of those things because I just sent him all of that ha). He has been working on little projects on base such as setting up concrete barriers along a road, moving dirt, and things like that. He's been operating more equipment than he thought--he thought they were just going to put him in the office. He says the days are long but the weeks go by fast. He works every day except Sundays he only works half days. He looks good, very tan, but is very upbeat and chipper for the most part, and very content with being there and having it meet his expectations (which weren't very high).
Update on us: So we are back in MD living with my mom and step dad. The whole downstairs basement (which is where I lived before I got hitched) is where our new home resides. It is equipped with one bedroom (my old living quarters), one full bath, a living room with a back entrance (convenient to let Oliver out) and a work out room. My old room has of course been turned into a guest room/nursery with a king size bed, a crib, a rocking chair and a changing table. Josh and I and especially my mom worked very hard on making it somewhat similar to Elizabeth's nursery back home but not too nursery like that it can't be used as a guest room when we leave. If you notice my mom bought the same bedding for her crib as we have in NC and the fabric that is hanging on the walls has the same floral print that is also in her room in NC. Here are some pictures of it.
So for the most part, Elizabeth has adjusted pretty well to our home in MD. We took the plunge and started her in her crib our first night there. All this time, she's been in an inclined rocker to help with reflux and gas (she still loves to nap in this). We thought since it's already a new environment, why not just make everything new. And surprisingly, she did great the first two nights, sleeping 6-8 hours a night. And then as the week went by, she was getting harder and harder to put down to sleep-she was getting very gassy. I have to be very careful of what I eat for dinner because that is what she gets in her night time feeding and what can dictate a good night or a bad night. Now she goes down a lot easier but she is still waking up to feed once maybe twice a night. She'll sleep for 5-6 hours just not right when I put her down. It's usually from 3-8am or 5-10am.
At this point, she has made her rounds to everyone in MD that has been dying to see her for the last 2.5 months. We had an appointment with the pediatrician in town just to meet her and check up on everything. She weighs 12 lbs (as of 6/3) and everything is great! She has started recognizing me as her mother and as a familiar face which has been really rewarding seeing her always greet me with a smile. I'm no longer just the person that feeds her milk every now and then. She coos and talks to us alot! Daddy has been able to witness that over facetime which has been good. She's also found her tongue and started reaching for things! Time is going by so fast! And just when everything has been unpacked and settled in MD, it's time to go to NJ and make our rounds up there!! Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are some pictures!
This was the backseat as we were making the trek from NC to MD
This is how she's been taking naps. The pink giraffe helps her pacifier stay in her mouth.
Greeting me in the morning
Tongue sticking out
Mommaw holding her
All dressed up for church!
Oliver lets her kick him in the head
Best friends!
Grandma "De De" with her for the first time
My cousin's daughter Emma holding Ellie. Second cousins!!
Oliver is king of the "King" in our bedroom
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